


Running and Water

by RattyMcRatFace



Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst, Cowboys, Cults, Other, Post-Apocalypse, Slow Burn, gayyyy, nonbinary main characters, will add tags as it goes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:14:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 1,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24290392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RattyMcRatFace/pseuds/RattyMcRatFace
Summary: Hundreds of years after a climate disaster the earth never really sees seasons. At least that’s Casey’s view of it. A cult named The Crossed is seeking to revolutionize the world. Follow Casey and Maine to find out if love and determination will win over fear and lies.
Kudos: 1





	1. Casey

The desert was a harsh place. A lone human rode along their horse, searching for safety that would never come their way.   
The sun blazed in the almost red sky. Night would be approaching when the stranger finally made it to the small sand-washed town. They rode till the stars shone bright.  
A scraggly voice called “Welcome to Gazer’s Gulch stranger!” The stranger looked up to see a middle aged man, and behind him sat the town. 

The stranger cleared their voice and spoke,”Are y’all occupied yet?” The man chuckled, “Nah, those culty bastards haven’t found their way here yet, I’m Giz by the way. You got something you go by?” “My Momma named me Casey” 

Giz smiled,  
“Alrighty then, you drink Casey?”

“A little.”

“Well come on now! We have one of the best saloons in the sands!” 

Giz led Casey and their horse to the saloon. Casey tied the tired clopper up on a post and followed Giz inside the noisy building.


	2. Maine

It was another busy night for Maine. The same regulars came and went. Sober then drunk, stupid then stupider. A few tried to neglect their payments, Maine was fine with it, as long as those in question didn’t mind a speedy shakedown or ass-beating. They laughed and smiled all night with their customers. It was part of their facade and career. You tend a bar you learn to deal with people from all walks of life, and if you can’t make them smile, a few drinks surely will. 

The loud saloon quickly silenced itself when Giz walked through the doors with a new face. Giz was the local smartass and him bringing a stranger into Maine’s saloon didn’t sit well with them. As Giz and the stranger made their way to the bar the other patrons soon went back to their own business more or less.

“And who’s this?” Maine asked Giz

“I’m Casey” Maine braced an elbow on the bar,

“So Casey, whaddya drink?”

“Water.” 

Giz smiled and nodded at Maine, “A whiskey for me please!” Maine acknowledged him and brought them both their drinks.  
Maine tended to their other customers, at some point between the mix they caught Casey calmly watching them work, Maine shot them a wink and continued working.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeet yeet my beets, another short chapter, longer ones are coming.


	3. Just Water

After an hour or so, the bar had begun to clear out. Giz had bid farewells to both Casey and Maine. He paid for his drink and stumbled out the door. The night dragged on and eventually it only left a few patrons passed out at seats and corners. Maine would shake them down tomorrow morning. At the moment they were occupied with a quiet conversation with Casey.

“So what brings you to this gross ass gulch?” Maine chided.

“Hiding from the cult. How do you end up owning a gross ass saloon?” 

“I don’t own it, I just run the joint, my Pa owns it.”

“Where’s he?” Casey looked more or less interested.

“Asleep. You’re running from the cult? Why the hell don’t you just hide with the rest of us?” 

“Running’s just a little bit more fun.” 

“Alright athlete. You need a place to stay for the night? I won’t charge extra even if you are new, we have plenty of empty rooms.”

“How much?” 

“10 bits.” Maine raised an eyebrow at Casey, waiting for a response. Casey placed the money on the counter. 

“Where?” 

Maine pointed to the stairs, and then handed Casey a key. “First room on the left. Gnite stranger.”

Casey trudged up the stairs and found their way to the room. They unlocked the door and entered. The room was small and cold, but at least it had a bed. The second Casey’s head hit the pillow, sleep found the tired stranger for the first time in a while. 

The saloon had finally cleared out, and Maine couldn’t have been happier for sweet silence. They cleaned off the counter and all the tables, washed the glasses, and swept the floor. Eventually they crept down to the basement where their bed was. Maine never slept easy so after an hour of tossing and turning they gave up and decided to flick on a small lamp and read a random book. They passed out about 3 pages in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decent length chapter!!


	4. Walking and Talking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Casey and Maine go out for a bit of a walk

Casey awoke to the sound of a bustling town. They hurriedly got dressed and gathered their things. They walked downstairs,only to walk right into Maine. 

“Watch where you’re going!” Maine growled, an angry expression painted across their face. It faded when they realized it was just Casey. 

“Sorry I didn’t mean to run into you, why aren’t you tending the bar?” 

“It’s my Pa’s turn today. You leaving this gross ass gulch already?”

“I wouldn’t really call it gross, but yeah probably, patrols are always coming through ya know.”

“Walk with me?” Maine offered.

“Sure, I’ll be leaving tonight so I got time.”

The pair walked out the doors, Casey panicked when they couldn’t find their horse. Maine swiftly guided Casey to the local stables, where the horse was probably stashed. 

When they got there, Maine was quick to strike up a conversation with the stable owner as Casey went and grabbed the horse. When they returned with the horse the stable owner grunted about how Casey shouldn’t have just left the poor thing in the cold. Casey apologized and went on with Maine around the town, walking the horse behind them. 

They talked about simple things when Maine finally asked, “Where’re you from anyways?”

Casey sighed, “I’m an ex-trade. I ran from the cult when I was 15 and haven’t stopped.”

Maine snickered, “So what’s it like being worked to death by a cult? I mean, The Crossed aren’t very open about their enslavement policies.” Casey smiled, smiles were good in Maine’s book.

“It was hellish, every morning they’d round us up and provide us with the majestic teachings of Jaxus!” Casey waved their hands about. “They’d tell us how grateful we should be that they saved us! Then they’d beat us and work us to death till it was time to feed us!”

Maine giggled, “Well that’s just terrible!”

The two laughed back and forth for what felt like forever. When a surge of screams and explosions flooded their ears. Casey jumped on top of Maine in a flash. 

Maine’s panicked voice rang through Casey’s mind, “Casey what the hell was that?!?” 

Casey tried to sound as calm as possible, “It’s The Crossed, they’ve found this gross ass gulch. We’ve gotta get out of here before they find us!” Casey dragged Maine to their feet, “Get on the horse!” Maine clamored onto the horse, Casey following them. 

Casey reached around Maine and grabbed the reins, kicking the horse into a full-fledged gallop. Maine looked behind them to see the tattered and aflame town they once called home, they would cry if they felt anything other than adrenaline.


	5. Nowhere

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Casey and Maine really are in the middle of nowhere now.

They rode in silence for what felt like forever. They finally stopped when they found a small oasis with an abandoned building to rest in. 

Maine quietly spoke, “Why are we stopping?”

“There’s water and the horse is tired.”

“ok.”

Casey hopped off the horse and stretched out a hand to a hesitant Maine. Maine took it and softly climbed down from the saddle. 

Maine went to the crumbling building and sat outside, watching the sunset over the horizon as Casey led the horse to the water. After a few minutes they left the horse the graze on the scare desert plants and walked over to Maine. 

Casey slid down next to Maine and clamped a hand on their shoulder. Maine’s eyes were glazed over with the reflection of the sun and the water. 

“It’s ok Maine, things happen all the time and we can’t control them.” 

Maine didn’t respond.

As the sun faded behind the mountains and molehills of sand and rock, Casey got up to build a fire to keep them both warm. They reached into their pack and pulled out a bag of jerky. They opened it and offered a piece to Maine. 

“C’mon, you need to eat, you’ll only feel worse if you don’t.” Maine reluctantly took the jerky and slowly ate.   
It was soon dark and only embers were left of the fire. Maine had finally laid down and fell asleep, while Casey covered them with their jacket and drifted off into wherever dreams took you.

Maine was nudged awake by a more or less sleep deprived Casey. It was almost like yesterday had never happened, and that they just happened to be in a vast wasteland with someone they met two days ago. 

“Mornin’ sunshine! We gotta go!” Casey called as they tightened the saddle and packs on their horse. 

Maine struggled to get up, “Where and why the hell are we going?”

“The Crossed is gonna be looking for us, if there’s one thing they don’t like, it’s witnesses.” 

“So where the hell are we going?” Maine grunted, noticed the jacket Casey gave them, and deciding to wear it. 

“Probably Khaos, The Crossed tend to avoid that place since it's one big fat city of crime and death.”

“Wow, nice travel offer..” Maine mumbled sarcastically.

Seriously, those cult fucks never step foot there except for the occasional patrols.” 

“How long is this gonna take? I’ve never been out of that gross ass gulch but now my home is destroyed and I’m stuck with some cowboy that I met yesterday!!”  
Maine screeched.

“Oh really? I could’ve left you to die, you got on the horse! So I guess I’m sorry for saving your ass!” Casey retorted.

“How about you get on your nameless horse and ride off into the fucking distance like the dramatic cowboy you are!”

“Fine! But don’t pull this shit when I have to come back for your sorry ass!” Casey mounted the horse and looked Maine dead in the eyes, “G’bye Maine, I’ll be back at some point.”

“Fuck off cowboy.” Maine snarled.

The second Casey had disappeared over the horizon, Maine cried. They cried for their home, they cried since they were alone, they cried because they drove away the only person left in their world, they cried for the first time in what felt like eternity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok the end made me really upset

**Author's Note:**

> I realize the first chapter is rough and short, but I hope you stick around for more!


End file.
